Impact of a one-minute preceptor on learning of pulmonary medicine postgraduates: Perceptions and review of literature

Context: Clinical reasoning and patient management skills are integral part of postgraduate (PG) medical education. Often, traditional teaching practices and paucity of time hinder this aspect of a resident's development. One-minute preceptor (OMP) is a learner-centered model that might improve PG learning. Aims: The study was conducted to introduce OMP as an educational tool for pulmonary medicine PG students and to evaluate the perceptions of residents and faculty on its utility. Subjects and Methods: Thirteen pulmonary medicine PG residents and six faculty members participated in this study. After initial sensitization about the teaching tool, thirty OMP sessions were conducted in the outpatient department with each resident undergoing a minimum of two sessions. Resident and faculty perceptions on this process were evaluated through validated questionnaires that were graded on a Likert scale. Results: All 13 residents perceived that OMP can improve their clinical reasoning skills as well as increase their motivation for further study (average Likert score for both: 4.69 + 0.48). However, 53.8% (n = 7) of residents perceived that the time devoted to OMP session was inadequate. Faculty also perceived that OMP was an effective teaching method and advocated its routine use in PG teaching. Conclusion: Both residents and faculty perceived OMP as an effective teaching tool in outpatient teaching of PG residents.